The Alamo and the San Antonio River were obvious selections. More surprising were the Bonham Exchange, USAA's Gen. Robert McDermott making peace with COPS and the Comanches temporarily rolling back Manifest Destiny.

Borrowing an idea from the New York Times (which borrowed it from the BBC and the British Museum), the Express-News surveyed experts from across the city to create what we're calling A History of San Antonio in 50 Objects.